Explosions, firing inside Shia mosque kills 19 in Peshawar
At least 20 people were killed and over 50 injured after militants attacked the minority Shia mosque in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area on Friday. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for the execution of its member Mohammed Aqeel for attacking the army headquarters in 2009. According to the police, one of the suicide bombers could not detonate his device because people in the mosque grabbed him by the neck. He was shot in the scuffle. Pakistan had witnessed another sectarian attack two weeks ago, when a Pakistani group affiliated to Islamic State bombed a Shia mosque in Shikarpur in Sindh province, killing 60 people.
Shelling continues despite Ukraine peace deal
Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists continued to engage in shelling on Friday despite a peace deal brokered by France and Germany. According to the deal, both parties have accepted a ceasefire which will be effective from Saturday midnight and will involve the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the region. The Kiev administration said that two people were killed and six wounded when a shell from the pro-Russian rebels hit a café in the town of Shchastya. However, the rebels blamed Ukraine for shelling in Donetsk, which claimed three lives.
IS takes control of Iraqi town near US airbase
The Islamic State on Friday took control of al-Baghdadi town in western Iraq, close to an airbase housing US military. Ayn al-Assad is the largest military base in western Anabar province and is being used by US instructors train Iraqi pilots. "Coalition forces were several kilometers from the attack and at no stage were they under direct threat from this action," said the US Central Command statement.
Boko Haram attack Chad for first time
Boko Haram attacks have once again spilled out of Nigeria as the group attacked Ngouboua, a village in Chad on Friday, killing several people including a local chief. This is the first reported attack on Chadian soil. The militants arrived in motorboats on Friday morning, set houses ablaze and attacked a police station. Ngouboua is already home to 3,300 refugees who fled Nigeria due to Boko Haram-related violence. The Nigerian militant organisation has stepped up cross-border attacks in recent weeks to secure control around the Lake Chad area bordering Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Chaos in South Africa’s parliament during Zuma’s annual speech
The South African parliament descended in to chaos on Thursday as Economic Freedom Fighters party repeatedly interrupted President Jacob Zuma during the annual State of the Nation speech and eventually scuffled with security guards. They raised questions about a state-funded, $23 million upgrade to Zuma’s private residence. Furious at the regular interruptions, speaker Baleka Mbete warned the members to sit down before ordering the security officers to remove them from the house, which caused the scuffle.
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At least 20 people were killed and over 50 injured after militants attacked the minority Shia mosque in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area on Friday. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for the execution of its member Mohammed Aqeel for attacking the army headquarters in 2009. According to the police, one of the suicide bombers could not detonate his device because people in the mosque grabbed him by the neck. He was shot in the scuffle. Pakistan had witnessed another sectarian attack two weeks ago, when a Pakistani group affiliated to Islamic State bombed a Shia mosque in Shikarpur in Sindh province, killing 60 people.
Shelling continues despite Ukraine peace deal
Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists continued to engage in shelling on Friday despite a peace deal brokered by France and Germany. According to the deal, both parties have accepted a ceasefire which will be effective from Saturday midnight and will involve the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the region. The Kiev administration said that two people were killed and six wounded when a shell from the pro-Russian rebels hit a café in the town of Shchastya. However, the rebels blamed Ukraine for shelling in Donetsk, which claimed three lives.
IS takes control of Iraqi town near US airbase
The Islamic State on Friday took control of al-Baghdadi town in western Iraq, close to an airbase housing US military. Ayn al-Assad is the largest military base in western Anabar province and is being used by US instructors train Iraqi pilots. "Coalition forces were several kilometers from the attack and at no stage were they under direct threat from this action," said the US Central Command statement.
Boko Haram attack Chad for first time
Boko Haram attacks have once again spilled out of Nigeria as the group attacked Ngouboua, a village in Chad on Friday, killing several people including a local chief. This is the first reported attack on Chadian soil. The militants arrived in motorboats on Friday morning, set houses ablaze and attacked a police station. Ngouboua is already home to 3,300 refugees who fled Nigeria due to Boko Haram-related violence. The Nigerian militant organisation has stepped up cross-border attacks in recent weeks to secure control around the Lake Chad area bordering Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Chaos in South Africa’s parliament during Zuma’s annual speech
The South African parliament descended in to chaos on Thursday as Economic Freedom Fighters party repeatedly interrupted President Jacob Zuma during the annual State of the Nation speech and eventually scuffled with security guards. They raised questions about a state-funded, $23 million upgrade to Zuma’s private residence. Furious at the regular interruptions, speaker Baleka Mbete warned the members to sit down before ordering the security officers to remove them from the house, which caused the scuffle.